Former Miss Tourism Uganda Phiona Kyeru has ignited a nationwide conversation on employee welfare after recounting how her workplace handled the sudden death of a colleague.
In a post shared on X, Kyeru revealed that a coworker died early in the morning, with the company’s human resource department reportedly aware of the incident by 9:00 a.m.
Despite this, employees were allegedly required to continue working as usual, with no immediate communication about the loss.
According to her account, staff were only informed of the death at around 4:30 p.m., minutes before the official end of the workday.
Management then told employees they could leave early if they needed to, a response Kyeru described as insensitive given the timing.
She further stated that the following day, operations resumed without pause, even as some employees struggled to cope with the loss.
“Some of my friends are literally sobbing at their desks, but they’re expected to work and be productive,” she wrote.
Her remarks have sparked widespread reactions online, with many Ugandans questioning how institutions handle grief in professional spaces.
Others have called for clearer workplace policies to support staff during bereavement.
Kyeru also contrasted the workplace response with the impact on the deceased’s family, noting that while companies may quickly replace staff, families endure lasting loss.
The incident has renewed focus on mental health and corporate responsibility, with observers urging employers to adopt more compassionate approaches when dealing with employee tragedies.